Digital Commons Network^™

The Making Of Disgrace Kelly: Dragging The Diva Through Cabarets, Pubs And Into The Recital Hall, Caitlin Cassidy

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

This research project investigates the synthesis of cabaret and recital performance as a way to re-invigorate the recital as a performance platform. As a curious classical singer with a passion for cabaret, I have explored cabaret in my own creative practice as a classically trained opera singer through the employment of practice-led research methodologies. This project includes research manifested in rehearsals, performance and exegetical writing, including a unique self-reflexive voice in the writing style, to encompass a practice-led research methodology. The culmination of these approaches was a final performance program entitled Diva Bites the Dust. A study of the diva …

The Development And Evaluation Of A Testing Protocol To Assess Upper Body Pressing Strength Qualities In High Performance Athletes, Kieran Young

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the reliability of an isometric force assessment (isometric bench press) across 4 standardised angles and an isoinertial force and velocity assessment (ballistic bench throw) utilising a relative load based on a percentage of one repetition maximum (1RM) in the bench press; and to evaluate whether the use of the dynamic strength deficit (DSD) ratio can guide training and detect changes induced by training over a 5 week period.

METHODS: Twenty four elite male athletes (age = 19.9 ± 2.7yrs; mass = 79.1 ± 13.0kg) performed the isometric bench press and a …

An Integrated Computer-Aided Modular Fixture Design System For Machining Semi-Circular Parts, Uday H. Farhan

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Productivity is one of the most important factors in manufacturing processes because of the high level of market competition. In this regard, modular fixtures (MFs) play an important role in practically improving productivity in flexible manufacturing systems (FMSs) due to this technology using highly productive computer numerical control (CNC) machines. MFs consist of devices called jigs and fixtures for accurately holding the workpiece during different machining operations. The design process is complex, and traditional methods of MF design were not sufficiently productive.

Computer-aided design (CAD) software has rapidly improved as a result of the development of computer technology, and has …

Secondary Victims' Perceptions Of Justice : Implications For Forensic Psychology, Benjamin Bannister

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

An emerging area of study has begun to look at the perceptions of justice of the family and friends of crime victims – or, secondary victims. It is important to improve understanding of secondary victims’ experiences of justice, partly because knowledge about how they perceive justice may help forensic psychologists assist them more effectively. This research attempted to assess how well existing justice theories could account for secondary victims’ perceptions of justice, and also help determine what is important to them. Using the largely ignored group of secondary victims of non-sexual violent crime, the research consisted of two interrelated stages. …

Sources And Supply Of Kelp Detritus : Quantifying Mechanisms Of Production, Thibaut De Bettignies

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

In temperate waters, rocky reefs dominated by extremely productive kelp beds export considerable primary production. Despite the extensive body of work on kelp detritus as a trophic subsidy, many questions remain about the production of this detritus. The aim of this thesis was to determine the rate and mechanisms of kelp detritus production, for Ecklonia radiata, the dominant kelp species in temperate Australia. Most of the work was conducted in Marmion Lagoon located 20 km North of Perth, south-western Western Australia, a region strongly influenced by oceanic swell and winter storms. The study comprised of four major components: the impact …

An Analysis Of Treatment Retention And Attrition In An Australian Therapeutic Community For Substance Abuse Treatment, Mark Robert Porter

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Research undertaken in the last three decades has consistently reported that the length of time spent in inpatient and outpatient alcohol and other drug (AOD) treatment programs predicts treatment success (De Leon, Melnick, Kressel, & Jainchill, 1994; Hubbard, Craddock, & Anderson, 2003; Simpson, Joe, Fletcher, Hubbard, & Anglin, 1999). However, treatment attrition rates are high and present a major problem for improving treatment outcomes. Various factors that have been reportedly associated with increased AOD treatment attrition rates include being female, younger clients, clients using methamphetamines, and clients with elevated psychopathology scores. The aim of this thesis is to improve understanding …

Photography And The Paradigm Of The Trace, Daniel Nevin

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

The idea that photographs can be explained as traces made by the things they depict has been a recurring paradigm in theories about the nature of the photographic medium. Walter Benjamin, Charles Sanders Peirce, Susan Sontag, Andre Bazin and Roland Barthes are a few of the many theorists who have used the paradigm of the trace to explain the nature of photographs. The paradigm can also be argued to have been a significant influence in the work of prominent artists such as Gerhard Richter, Adam Fuss and Cornelia Parker whose work has explored the photographic medium. Through an exegesis and …

A Study Of Facility Management Knowledge Classification For The Effective Stewardship Of Existing Buildings, Robert G. Doleman

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

The aim of the study was to establish the Facility Management knowledge categories within the life cycle of a building context. The significance of the study stemmed from research undertaken into the compliance to Australian Standards 1851-17:2005 Maintenance of Fire and Smoke Doors within West Australian nursing homes, which demonstrated 87 per cent non-compliance. The level of non-compliance appeared to identify a lack of knowledge, and appropriately qualified and experienced personnel involved within the management of nursing homes (Doleman, 2008). The issues identified prompted the question on how facility management knowledge categories evolves and develops throughout the life cycle of …

E-Learning Implementation Strategies For An Ict-Challenged Environment : Case Of The University Of Ghana, Legon, Isaiah T. Awidi

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

E-learning implementation in higher education continues to gain prominence in both developed and developing countries, and while most universities in ICT-rich environments are exploring different ways of using ICT and multimedia resources to enhance teaching and learning, the same cannot be said about ICT-challenged environments. Nevertheless, the question of successful and sustainable e-learning implementation continues to remain a challenge, particularly in ICT-challenged environments.

The primary purpose of this research was to examine policy and strategy issues that have influenced the process of e-learning implementation at the University of Ghana (UG), given that previous ICT and e-learning initiatives failed to improve …

An Investigation Into The Volatility And Cointegration Of Emerging European Stock Markets, Anna Golab

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

This dissertation examines the interaction between European Emerging markets including cointegration, volatility, correlation and spillover effects. This study is also concerned with the process of the enlargement of the European Union and how this affects the emerging markets of newcomers. The twelve emerging markets studied are Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Cyprus, Estonia, Hungry, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia, which are all progressing very rapidly in their reforms and domestic economic stability.

The majority of prior studies on stock market comovements and integration have concentrated on mature developed markets or the advanced emerging markets of the Czech Republic, …

Herbivory By Parma Mccullochi (Pomacentridae) : Its Role As An Ecosystem Engineer In Temperate Algal-Dominated Reefs, Frederico Vitelli

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Pomacentridae is one of the most representative families of herbivorous fishes inhabiting both tropical and temperate reefs, yet the vast majority of studies examining feeding within this family have been undertaken in tropical rather than temperate regions. Despite the high abundances of the pomacentrid Parma mccullochi in temperate waters of Western Australia, and their likely importance in removing algae from reefs in the region, there is a lack of information on their diet and their impact on the reef algal community. This study aims to determine the role of Parma mccullochi as an ecosystem engineer on temperate algal-dominated reefs in …

Creating Business Value Through E-Marketplace Trading, Susan Standing

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Electronic marketplaces (e-marketplaces) have been researched over many years from the study of electronic data interchange (EDI) systems to the current internet based trading platforms. Early e-marketplaces connected a buyer and supplier using proprietary systems that established a market hierarchy. The buyer was responsible for the system, established the terms of trade and the electronically enabled supplier could connect to the system. These systems were costly to build, which limited their use, and only organisations with an integrated system could use them. The web based e-marketplaces opened up the possibility of connecting many buyers and suppliers and enabling electronic transactions. …

Portraits Of Middle Eastern Gulf Female Students In Australian Universities, Susan Delahunty

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

This research explores the experiences and insights of ten Middle Eastern Gulf women as they cross international borders to study in Australian universities. The literature indicates that international students in Australia establish their identity within the context of their overseas existence. This is particularly important as Muslims may feel they are being placed in a precarious situation due to, more often than not, terrorism being linked to Islam. Also, when Muslim women wear Islamic or traditional attire, the general public tends to look upon them with curiosity. With this in mind, the complex and changed contexts faced by ten Middle …

Human Factors And Cultural Influences In Implementing Agile Philosophy And Agility In Global Software Development, Anuradha Sutharshan

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

As software becomes increasingly important to all aspects of industry, developers should be encouraged to adopt best practice and hence improve the quality of the processes used, and achieve targets relating to time, budget and quality. In the software industry, several software methodologies have been used to address software development problems; however some of these processes may be too bureaucratic. The Agile Alliance formed in 2001, sought to address this problem; accordingly, they developed a manifesto and twelve principles, to which all agile software methods adhere. The purpose of the manifesto and its principles is to uncover better ways of …

On A Joint Physical Layer And Medium Access Control Sublayer Design For Efficient Wireless Sensor Networks And Applications, Mahir Lumumba Meghji

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Wireless sensor networks (WSNs) are distributed networks comprising small sensing devices equipped with a processor, memory, power source, and often with the capability for short range wireless communication. These networks are used in various applications, and have created interest in WSN research and commercial uses, including industrial, scientific, household, military, medical and environmental domains. These initiatives have also been stimulated by the finalisation of the IEEE 802.15.4 standard, which defines the medium access control (MAC) and physical layer (PHY) for low-rate wireless personal area networks (LR-WPAN).

Future applications may require large WSNs consisting of huge numbers of inexpensive wireless sensor …

Improving Classroom Discourse In Inquiry-Based Primary Science Education, Prudence Smith

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Teachers‟ capacity to use classroom discourse to deepen student learning through sustained conversation is considered crucial to increasing students‟ intellectual development. Learners actively construct knowledge and develop understandings from their shared experiences and via interaction with others (Driver, Asoko, Leach, Mortimer & Scott, 1994). However, talk that fosters students‟ capacity to reason is lacking in many classrooms (Alexander, 2006) and, what is more, teachers tend to control the discourse by asking a predominance of closed questions and using a question-answer recitation script which limits the exploration of students‟ ideas (Nystrand, Gamoran, Kachy, & Prendergast, 1997). The purpose of this study …

Surface Plasmons For Enhanced Metal-Semiconductor-Metal Photodetectors, Ayman A. Karar

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Surface Plasmon Polaritons (SPPs) are quantized charge density oscillations that occur when a photon couples to the free electron gas of the metal at the interface between a metal and a dielectric. The extraordinary properties of SPP allow for sub-diffraction limit waveguiding and localized field enhancement. The emerging field of surface plasmonics has applied SPP coupling to a number of new and interesting applications, such as: Surface Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy (SERS), super lenses, nano-scale optical circuits, optical filters and SPP enhanced photodetectors. In the past decade, there have been several experimental and theoretical research and development activities which reported on …

Teaching Excellence : An Illusive Goal In Higher Education Teaching And Learning, Heather Sparrow

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

In the last decades of the 20th Century, and through the first decade of the 21st Century, both the natural world and human society have experienced dramatic change. Contemporary society world-wide has high expectations of the contribution that universities can make in helping people learn to live with change, to lead change, to manage change, and to support improvement in all spheres of life. The global community seeks ‘excellence’ across all higher education roles: community engagement and leadership, research and innovation, and teaching and learning. However, universities are not always regarded as effective in fulfilling the needs of students, business …

Stakeholders' Perceptions Of Technical, Vocational Education And Training : The Case Of Kenyan Micro And Small Enterprises In The Motor Vehicle Service And Repair Industry, Susan W. Ngure

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Technical, vocational education and training (TVET) in Kenya has undergone major changes since colonialists introduced it at the beginning of the twentieth century. Since then, TVET has evolved in the areas of science, technology and innovation to provide skills that will propel the country to middle-level industrialised status by the year 2030. However, current training and development (T&D) processes in Kenya have been criticised for being rigid and irrelevant to industry, creating a mismatch of skills produced by the training institutions and those demanded by the industry; it is upon this criticism that this research is built. The focus of …

A Review Of The Policy Development Processes That Relate To The Inclusion Of People With A Disability In Sport : Some Western Australian Evidence, Helen Cunningham

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

In the late 1960s, there was a major change in social policy and legislation in developed countries that improved the rights and opportunities for people with a disability in all aspects of society, including sport. In 1992, in concert with the general acceptance of the social model of disability, Australia enacted legislation making it illegal to discriminate against a person with a disability; this encouraged their inclusion into the community (Australian Sports Commission, 2005; Doll-Tepper, 1999; Thomas & Smith, 2009).

In order to meet the obligations of anti-discrimination legislation, Australian sport organisations became active in preparing policy frameworks to guide …

Understanding And Disrupting Institutional Settings : Using Networks Of Conversations To Re-Imagine Future Farming Lives, Robert Campbell

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Farmers in Australia and elsewhere face the challenge of remaining profitable whilst dealing with adverse structural arrangements and public expectations to better manage environmental degradation. This thesis draws on arguments that dominant paradigms in agricultural science and environmental management have often been ineffective in addressing these apparently competing demands and appear poorly suited to ‘messy’ situations characterized by uncertainty and complexity, and in which diverse stakeholders are motivated by varying goals and values. Engaging with such situations requires a philosophy and methodology that accepts a multiplicity of perspectives and which seeks to learn about and reflect upon novel ways of …

Exploring Predictors Of Sport Commitment In Coaches, Erin Bormann

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

The Sport Commitment Model (SCM) has been used to gain insight about the factors that influence people’s decision to continue participation in sport. Majority of the studies that are grounded in the SCM have been conducted with athletes. To date, few studies have examined sport commitment of coaches however, these did not assess two commitment dimensions per se (functional or “want to” and obligatory or “have to” commitment to sport), rather each has measured certain predictor variables and inferred commitment dimensions based on clustering of predictors [i.e. 13]. This study had one main purpose, to examine the SCM amongst coaches. …

Improving Evaluations Of Anti-Bullying Programs In Schools, Thérèse Shaw

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Bullying at school is associated with negative social, psychological and academic outcomes for both the victimised student and the perpetrator. As a consequence, national strategies to address bullying have been implemented in numerous countries, and education sectors and schools have increasingly directed resources to the problem. To ensure resources are allocated to programs and strategies that will prevent and successfully respond to bullying in schools, and therefore prevent harm to students, evidence of program effectiveness is required. Evaluations of anti-bullying programs in schools have had mixed results and there is a lack of robust evidence as to their impact. Several …

Optimal Control Of Power Quality In Microgrids Using Particle Swarm Optimisation, Waleed Abood Baddai Al-Saedi

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Driven by environmental protection, economic factors, conservation of energy resources, and technical challenges, the microgrid has emerged as an innovative small-scale power generation network. Microgrids consist of a cluster of Distributed Generation units that encompass a portion of an electric power distribution system and may rely on different energy sources. Functionally, the microgrid is required to provide adequate levels and quality of power to meet load demands. The issue of power quality is significant as it directly affects the characteristics of the microgrid’s operation. This problem can be defined as an occurrence of short to long periods of inadequate or …

Verticordia Micropropagation Through Direct Ex Vitro Rooting, Belinda Delaney

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

The objective of this study was to improve the existing shoot multiplication protocol for Verticordia grandis (McComb, Arthur & Newll, 1986; Newell, Growns & McComb, 2005) and to investigate and establish reliable root induction and acclimatisation protocols to enhance survival of micropropagated plantlets. It was envisaged that these protocols would be successful in micropropagation, growth and survival of different V. grandis clones and possibly applicable to other Verticordia species.

The elongation of in vitro Verticordia shoots on multiplication media was improved by reducing the concentration of BAP from 1μM to 0.25 μM, which resulted in a more uniform shoot length …

Creating And Performing New Australian Works On The Hungarian Concert Cimbalom, Joshua Webster

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

This thesis explores the creation and performance of five new Western Australian works for the Hungarian concert cimbalom. These include four solo works, and one duet, which were scored, analysed, performed, and recorded. This thesis is in two parts: this exegetical component, which details the background, development, and findings of the research, including the scores created, and the manual that was developed for composers’ use; and a practical component, which is an active representation of the research, included as video recordings. To assist the composition of the new works, a manual was developed for the composers’ use. This manual began …

Lichens As A Biomonitoring Tool For Detecting Heavy Metal Air Pollution Associated With Industrial Activities In Collie, South-Western Australia, Meenu Chathurika Vitarana

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

During the last few decades, various techniques for using lichens as biomonitors have been developed for monitoring air pollution and forest ecosystem health. Lichens have been used effectively to determine the dispersion of heavy metals emitted by industrial point-sources; however the approach has not been commonly used in Australia. This thesis aimed to determine the effectiveness of using a lichen biomonitoring approach to measure the heavy metal pollutants emitted from coal-fired power stations and related industries in Collie, south-western Australia, an area with concern over poor air quality. Three different approaches to lichen biomonitoring were investigated. The first explored lichen …

Institutional Experiences Of Female Child Migrants In Western Australia Between 1947 - 1955, Diane Parker

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

In this qualitative study I investigated the institutional experiences of former female child migrants who were placed in the care of the Sisters of Mercy in St Joseph’s Catholic Orphanage, Subiaco, Western Australia. My study was guided by the theoretical orientations of Symbolic Interaction and Constructivism. Data were gathered through a series of individual and group interviews with the Female Child Migrants, who are now in their seventies and had spent at least three years in the orphanage between the years 1947 and 1955. Documents were also obtained from the archives of the Catholic Church, the Sisters of Mercy and …

On The Recognition Of Emotion From Physiological Data, Warren Creemers

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

This work encompasses several objectives, but is primarily concerned with an experiment where 33 participants were shown 32 slides in order to create ‗weakly induced emotions‘. Recordings of the participants‘ physiological state were taken as well as a self report of their emotional state. We then used an assortment of classifiers to predict emotional state from the recorded physiological signals, a process known as Physiological Pattern Recognition (PPR). We investigated techniques for recording, processing and extracting features from six different physiological signals: Electrocardiogram (ECG), Blood Volume Pulse (BVP), Galvanic Skin Response (GSR), Electromyography (EMG), for the corrugator muscle, skin temperature …

Factors Influencing The Capacity Of Communities To Respond To Coastal Erosion In The Upper Gulf Of Thailand, Chatchai Intatha

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

Local communities must have a capacity to ameliorate coastal erosion impacts. Since coastal erosion operates over long time frames, understanding this capacity, or the abilities of communities to respond to the impacts and recover to maintain community functions, requires analysis of the past and the present. This study explores factors which influence the capacity of communities to respond to coastal erosion and conversely how exposure to coastal erosion itself affects community capacity.

Mixed methods research was used to investigate the views of respondents in seven coastal villages in the upper Gulf of Thailand, three from an area that has experienced …